


Boyfriends, huh?

by captainhurricane



Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Asexual Relationship, Established Relationship, M/M, just love and cuddles, no ff7 plot spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:01:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24219328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainhurricane/pseuds/captainhurricane
Summary: The fact that they’re boyfriends doesn’t really dawn to either of them until it’s three weeks into their relationship.
Relationships: Cloud Strife/Barret Wallace
Comments: 14
Kudos: 138





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Cloud is pretty much headcanoned as acearo for me in all of his versions. I'll write smut of him ofc but mostly he feels very ace to me - or at least on the spectrum of enjoying it , but not necessarily desiring it that much

The fact that they’re boyfriends doesn’t really dawn to either of them until it’s three weeks into their relationship. Physical affection had been the same as ever: nonexistent from Cloud’s part, giant shoulder pats from Barret’s part, the occasional ruffling of Cloud’s hair that had left Cloud pouting and swatting invading touches away. 

Sure, Cloud sleeps curled up next to Barret each night, and sure, they share morning kisses - and midday kisses, and evening kisses, and the occasional midnight kiss, especially when their nightmares keep them awake. But it’s just something that they moved towards, something that felt inevitable: Cloud craving for family and warmth, Barret, ever the protector, wishing for more things to protect. After all, Barret has taken all of these people and Marlene under his wing before, and Cloud is just a one more stray. 

Together they had drifted slowly, surely, the taste of shitty Rocket Town beer on their tongues - don’t tell Cid- and the Highwind buzzing alive around them. Cloud’s room had become their room, Barret’s room kept for storage. It had felt inevitable, right. 

They still bicker in front of the others and in private, naturally. Yet something had shifted, visibly enough, that the more perceptive people of their crew had started to notice.

*

“Anything you wish to tell me, Cloud?” Tifa had asked one day, after a busy day of battling highway monsters around Junon. 

Cloud had blinked, tilted his head. They had gone through his backstory already, Tifa’s stuff, Barret’s backstory…so no? “Uh. No?” 

Tifa had merely smiled. “Hmm.” She had, after all, ended up asking the same question from Barret. Barret had squinted at her and casually hidden himself behind his shades. 

*

Nobody had busted them in each other’s arm just yet. Nobody had witnessed the red on Cloud’s cheeks after Barret had pressed a huge hand to his lower back - or seen Cloud get on his tiptoes to kiss Barret’s jaw after their morning routines. At least, to their knowledge, no one had. 

After all, Vincent Valentine keeps himself to the shadows as often as he can, staying as still and silent as the dark itself. Other people’s secrets aren’t his to tell. 

*

It’s Aerith, because of course it’s her, who marches up to them on the snowy hills one day, her furry collar framing her angelic face. 

“Okay. Alright. Guys.” 

Cloud lowers his arm, from where he had been pointing to the mountains. “What’s up?” 

Barret has shifted closer, just to brush an arm against Cloud’s, almost close enough to hug him. 

Aerith watches them for a moment, then tilts her head. Her eyes twinkle. “When were you two going to tell us that you’re dating?” She lifts her eyebrow. 

The two men shift. Glance at each other. 

“Date?” Cloud gnaws on his lip. He gestures, inelegantly. “We’re - uh - “ he glances at Barret. Who glances back, shrugging.

“We’re dating?” Cloud asks, one hand on his hip, one on his chin. He blinks his baby blues at Barret, who visibly relaxes. 

“Never had that conversation, huh.” Barret smiles, pats Cloud on the shoulder. 

“Never had - “ Aerith groans. She squints at them, leans forward. The motion is so like Yuffie, that Cloud’s mouth twitches. “So you are dating! Since when!” Aerith floats to them, always so cute and graceful when she moves. She pokes them both in their cheeks. “Boys! You gotta talk about these things!”

Barret grunts. “Nah. We have a good thing. Words might mess it up.” 

Cloud rubs his cheek, leans unsubtly against Barret. “Yeah. I just - we’re on a mission to save the Planet, Aerith. I figured it wasn’t that important.” But he blushes when she looks at him, with her strange pretty eyes that always seem to see into his soul. 

“It is important,” she says, gently. “You carry yourself less tensely nowadays, you know.” With a glance at Barret, Aerith giggles. “And Barret shouts a lot less.”

“Hey - !” 

Cloud lays a hand on Barret’s wrist. Barret huffs. 

Aerith grins. “I kind of have a thooousand questions to ask, but I have a feeling this is not the time or place.” She twirls around. “Come along then, boys!”

But the boys don’t follow immediately. Cloud hesitates, slipping his gloved fingers under Barret’s sleeve. “Barret,” Cloud murmurs. “Are we… you know. Boyfriends?” 

Barret scoffs. “Spikey, I don’t see myself sharing beds with anyone else of these knuckleheads.” He nudges Cloud’s temple. “If ya wanna call us that, then be my goddamn guest.” It’s an admittance as much as anything. 

Cloud stares at him, eyes big. “Okay,” Cloud says finally and the tiniest smile lingers on his face.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cloud has a bad brain day. Barret offers cuddles.

The face in the mirror isn’t right. The Highwind-bathrooms are cramped and tiny, the mirror above the sink round and high enough that Cloud has to get on his tiptoes. 

His face. Pale, pretty - to some, apparently-, sharp. A scratch on his temple from a recent squaffle with some wayward monsters, too tiny of a scratch to bother Curing. Blue eyes, the colour forever stained with the sickly green glow of Mako. 

Cloud presses the heels of his palms to his eyes and takes a deep, deep breath. In the dark of his mind, somewhere, always close at hand, Sephiroth remains, an infestation under his skin, a crawling sensation of spiders on the surface of Cloud. 

Puppet. Puppet. Puppet. Unreal. Fake. Fake. Fake. Fake. Fake.

Cloud sighs, turns on the tap and splashes cold water to his face. He’s still a person. He’s still himself. He’s Cloud. Something quite like the brush of silky silver hair on his neck startles him and he turns, only to see Barret - his boyfriend! Oh boy, that still makes Cloud warm up- peeking in, lowering his hand. 

Barret lifts an eyebrow. “You okay there, Spiky? You look real spooked.” 

Cloud offers him a shrug, then, when Barret gets that unimpressed, don’t-bullshit-me-look again, Cloud sighs. “Headaches. You know.” A headache named Sephiroth and Sephiroth’s manipulative words, spreading underneath Cloud’s skin, all the way to his bones. Cloud’s a real person. He is. He is. He is. He inhales shakily and then, oh, then he’s pulled into a tight embrace, head tugged against Barret’s neck. 

Barret always smells so good.

Barret’s big, big hand settles on Cloud’s back. “Don’t you go thinking that anything that motherfucker says is correct,” Barret hisses, voice low. “You’re ours. You’re your own. Nobody’s pulling your strings but you, yourself.”

Cloud closes his eyes. He takes a deep breath, wraps his arms around Barret, as far as they go. Which isn’t far, considering how much broader Barret is than him. 

Barret presses a kiss to Cloud’s hair. Barret’s breath is warm as he huffs. “Wanna get your cuddle on?” 

Cloud lets out a soft snort. He inhales Barret’s scent, deep and musky, and listens to his own racing heart finally starting to calm down in this safe embrace. “At least until we reach Wutai.” 

“Long way away, then, Spiky,” Barret laughs. “Come on, I know the exact remedy for that mood of yours.” He always does. One wouldn’t think of it, meeting Barret for the first time, but his hugs have become a stuff of legends. Not that anyone else gets to experience them except Cloud - and of course, the number one in Barret’s heart, his little daughter. 

But now they’re hiding away in Barret’s chosen cabin, turning off the lights. 

“They’ll call us if they need us,” Barret huffs and strips off his vest, taking off his prosthetic with a few clicks.

Cloud goes to him easily, gets on his tiptoes to kiss him, just once, no, twice. “Take this off too,” Cloud murmurs and tugs on Barret’s undershirt. “I wanna - “ Cloud’s cheeks warm. “I wanna listen to your heartbeat.” His fingers still feel clammy. If he closes his eyes, he’ll still see a curtain of silver hair and amused cat-like eyes. The corner of his mouth must twitch, his eyelashes must flutter in that sad way of his, because Barret merely nods and tugs off his undershirt, leaving him bare. His dogtags clink against each other. 

“Come on, Spiky,” Barret murmurs, voice gone low and gentle, in complete contrast to the loud way he normally speaks. He doesn’t have to pull Cloud to him, because Cloud does. They pile up on the bed, Barret on his back and Cloud on him, laying his cheek down against Barret’s chest, Barret’s thick arm around him. 

Cloud closes his eyes and sighs. There Sephiroth remains, his words like ice shards, striking into Cloud’s crooked memories. Cloud curls up, rubs his face against Barret’s chest. 

“Don’t think about him,” Barret grumbles. He begins to caress Cloud, just one big, warm palm running up and down Cloud’s back. “Don’t think about anything but me, alright?” 

Cloud hums. “I’m safe,” he murmurs. “I’m me. I’m safe.” 

“Hell yes, you are,” Barret grunts. “Now relax your spiky butt or I’ll start tickling.” 

Cloud snorts, eyes still closed. His fingertips brush Barret’s warm skin, sweep over his chest hair. And there, underneath this thick chest, thuds Barret’s powerful heart. 

Tha-dum. Tha-dum. Tha-dum. The corners of Cloud’s lips curl up, just a little. Tha-dum. Tha-dum. Tha-dum.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please stay safe and healthy, everyone. i love you.

**Author's Note:**

> the other part will just have cuddles because i have a need. and i feel that barret is the best fricking pillow.


End file.
